Awakening
by Tauria
Summary: Gene wakes up by the shore of the lake, confused and unsure if what happened was a dream or reality. Mai and the SPR gang find out that the Japenese branch might be closing down.. and that Naru might not be coming back...
1. Prologue

**Awakening**

_Tauria_

** Prologue**

Gene's eyes flashed open wide, his breath hitching in his throat as his heart thundered erratically.

"What the hell...?" he muttered, slowly sitting up. Just that slight movement sent wicked pain through his head, pounding in tune with his racing heart. His pale hand quickly reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose, hoping that would help, in some small way. He stayed utterly still, hoping the pain would fade. The next few minutes seemed to be an eternity, but the pain _did _pass.

He slowly made his way to his feet. His legs were unsteady at first, but he quickly regained his bearings and took a look around his surroundings. A lake was the first thing he saw, blue water sparkling underneath the light of the sun. On the eastern side of the lake was an old wooden dock, and fishing boats could be seen on the surface. It was a beautiful picture.

He stood on the muddy shore, sopping as if he had just washed ashore. In addition to the lake water making his clothes stick uncomfortably to his skin, he was caked in mud that was quickly drying in the heat of the sun. It was distinctly uncomfortable, especially as he could feel strands of his hair sticking together.

But he wasn't too busy focusing on that, too busy focusing on the crisp stillness that was the surface of the lake.

The sun glinting off it, the trees being reflected off of it perfectly created an effect most would consider peaceful, especially since the sun was warm... but not hot. There was an occasional breeze, which would create small, choppy waves across the lake.

But for Gene...

It brought sensations he would like to leave behind him.

First, pain. Pain shot through his entire body, most acutely in his ribs and arm. He could taste the irony tinge of blood in his mouth. The stifling sensation of cloth covering his head, blocking his vision – which was already blinded by spots anyway – and making it even harder to breathe.

And then, the water. It soaked him to the bone, creeping into his nose and mouth. It filled his lungs, and he was sinking. Unable to move, unable to see, unable to feel anything but pain... It was terrible...

.

He gasped for air, wrenching his eyes open and abruptly turning from the lake. He took a few deep, calming breaths. At first, they caused shudders to resound through his body, but after a bit, they succeeded in calming his racing heart. He closed his eyes, clearing his mind with some effort. There was no use on dwelling on painful memories...

Wait.

He opened his eyes again. _Are they really memories? Did... did I really die? Did Noll meet Mai? Did I guide her dreams...? Does she even exist? It all felt so... so real. _

It was difficult to say. Afraid to search his instincts – he wasn't sure which he wanted to be true – he settled for trying to remember what happened the night he had – possibly – died.

.

He'd been walking back to the town, having been offered a ride back, but the night was so nice – what with the full moon and the wide expanse of stars – he had decided to walk. It hadn't been the smartest thing to do, as he had been wearing all-black at the time, but he was being careful.

He'd been halfway across the street when the car veered around the corner, headlights blinding him. For a moment, he had understood what a deer felt like. The thought had caused a hysterical bubble of mirth in him, before it was popped by crushing pain...

He shook his head.

His most recent memory – or what he thought was his most recent memory – was saying farewell to Mai by the tree, still pretending he was his brother. He had prepared for leaving – after all, his body was being found and put to rest. Some part of him doubted that would make him move on, but it was always best to be prepared. Then, he had been back on the spiritual plane. A warm light, like the one he had seen spirits be engulfed by many times during his years as a medium and stood before him...

And, nothing.

It felt as if there was more to the memory, something that he was missing. On the echoes of his mind, he could _almost _hear words. He _knew_, deep inside, that there was more to it.

He sighed, frustrated. He resisted the urge to run his hand through his hair. _Ugh... I need new clothes. And a shower. A long, hot shower. _Ignoring his... disheveled appearance, he started walking up to the road, intent on heading back to town. As he walked, he got out his wallet. The bills were pretty much non-existent, but he still had a credit card.

Hopefully it wasn't expired. Gene planned to get some clothes, get a hotel room for the night, take a shower, and then head to Tokyo the next day. While he was at it, he would check the date and hopefully that would tell him if Mai and SPR had transpired.

If he didn't manage to get the date, after his shower, he'd search his instincts to find out which was the truth – quelling his desire not to find out – and see if he could get some sort of clue about what he should do next.

* * *

Mai jolted slightly. Something... something important had just happened. She didn't know what, but... something big was about to happen. She rubbed her cheek with her palm, wishing she could get more than just a feeling on it. But, as she was in the middle of class, that obviously wasn't happening.

However, she would call Bou-san the moment class had ended. Maybe the other members of SPR could help her...

The thought of SPR sent a small wave of melancholy through her. Naru – who had really been Oliver Davis! Who would have thunk it? Then again... it wasn't entirely surprising after she had thought about it – had left a year ago. Madoka was currently running the Japanese branch, and though Naru had promised he would come back... something in Mai told her that it wasn't going to happen.

Not for a long time. Especially since he had apparently gotten really busy, and Madoka was going to be returning near the end of the week. Which meant that one of the other members would be in charge – probably Bou-san, they wouldn't find out till tomorrow. They didn't know when she would be getting back, though she had promised that they wouldn't be dissolving the branch.

On the bright side, she'd just gotten a pay raise, which meant she had more extra money than she was used to. In celebration, she'd planned a shopping trip with Ayako... where she was putting her foot down, and not letting the priestess buy her any outfits. She didn't plan on doing any major splurging... but she thought she could use the treat.

Especially after that last case...

Her psychic dreams were still going strong, and she was only just starting to get the hang of controlling them without Gene's help. His absence was a major hole, and she found that her dreams were more erratic and less understandable without them.

She was even beginning to have dreams when they weren't on cases! Though, she was entirely sure if that was because Gene wasn't there to block them or if her powers were just getting stronger.

The brunette resisted the urge to drop her head to the desk, attempting to tune back into the teacher's lecture (and failing) while promising she'd think more about her crazy, messed-up life later. (Not that she would trade it for anything.)

* * *

**Tauria: **So, I'm finally trying my hand at posting a chaptered Ghost Hunt story~ I'm not a great updater (actually, I suck when it comes to updates...) but I'm going to do my best to write regularly. This just kind of came to me as I was reading, and then I was in a rush to get it written. I even used a notebook because I didn't feel like cleaning off my desk, which is like, really unusual for me. I always word myself better when I type... (no idea why).

Anyways, I hope you like it! And, no, I don't have much of a plot figured for this... like, at all. I've been trying to plan out my stories lately, but it just sucks out all the energy from me, and then I don't even want to write them anymore... -sigh- So I apologize ahead of time for any inconsistencies... (though when/if cases get involved, I will do some thinking ahead for those XD)

Also, I'm not sure about any pairings beyond Gene/Mai FRIENDshipping... Though, if there are any it will be Ayako/Bou-san and/or Naru/Mai. So, just a warning for those of you that don't like that kind of thing.

But again, I'm not sure. It may just end up being just friendship~

Anyways! I hope you enjoyed the prologue, which is really just me getting my feet wet before I do any serious stuff, and please leave a review! Or just a favorite~


	2. Chapter 1

**Awakening **

_Tauria_

**Chapter One**

Gene's trip to town had gone exactly as he suspected it would – he attracted a lot of stares. Not that he wasn't used to that, of course. He was one half of a powerful psychic duo, first of all. Second, he was attractive. Now – he was no narcissist like his brother could be, but he was also not ignorant to his handsomeness. In fact, Gene could even be a little vain.

Just a little, though.

He'd managed to get his hands on some new clothes – three pairs of jeans, three shirts, and a jacket – which had been more of a hassle than he'd expecting. The people working in the shop hadn't taken too kindly to his dirty state being around new, clean clothes. He supposed he couldn't blame them, even if it had made the trip take longer than it should have. He didn't even manage to get his hands on the date. It would be one thing to ask about the day of the week, or the month's date... but asking which month and which year might get him some strange looks. He wouldn't usually care, but he was feeling unusually paranoid.

He'd learned to trust in his instincts over the years, as well as when to recognize a psychic feeling or a feeling of intuition that he should follow. This was one of those.

After he'd gotten the clothes, he'd headed straight to the hotel, checking in and ignoring the dubious looks they were casting him. He made quick work of going to the hotel room and taking that nice, long, hot shower. It had felt like he was washing years worth of grime off of him, and it took _forever _to get the scent of lake water off. But once he had, he felt a lot better.

And more optimistic then he had before.

Now, he was seated on the bed, legs crossed, his hands resting on his knees. He closed his eyes, concentrating on finding his center. This was something he had done a million times before, and it came as natural as lifting an arm.

He felt... peaceful. There was a sense of calm about this state that he rarely felt anywhere else. Here he was not worried about anything, and grudges did not follow – or at least, he was careful to not let them follow. He was full of positive thoughts and hope. He turned his focus to his instincts, focusing deeply on the issue he needed guidance for.

In only a few moments, he knew with utter clarity that he had, in fact, been dead. This thought should have upset him. But it didn't. In fact... in a way he was almost relieved. He was sad, because his parents and his brother had to go through his loss.

But he didn't want there to be no Mai. No Japanese SPR. He had been quite sure that up until they found the lake, Noll and Mai might have been on the path to being something... more. He didn't expect a romantic relationship – not for a long time. But with Gene gone, Noll had lost not only his partner in ghost hunting... but his support system. His confidant. His mental link. His power control.

But most importantly, he had lost his best friend and brother.

Gene breathed out through his nose, dispelling those thoughts. He let his mind float outward, expanding the horizons and hoping something might change... After a few seconds, he felt a slight tug on the edge of his mind, which he knew would lead him to... someone.

He concentrated harder, needing an image. After a bit, there was a flash of brown eyes and short hair. He'd know that face anywhere – Mai. His instincts wanted him to go to Mai. Not his brother? But... why?

In aswer to the question, a bubble of... something rose up in his stomach. He focused on it just enough to know that something bad was coming, before it floated from his grasp. He wasn't sure how long he sat like that, trying to grasp that little bubble, but it refused to stay in his grip. So finally, he sighed, and let go. Slowly, he drifted back to himself, opening his eyes. He felt a little lethargic, a feeling he knew would pass.

His stomach growled loudly, and he figured it was time to get some food.

He glanced at his wallet. He really couldn't use that card much. After he bought the train ticket, he was going to have to find some other source of income. Something warned him way from telling his brother and parents he was alive.

Part of this was gut feeling, but part of it was a niggling fear in the back of his mind...

What if he wasn't really back? What if this was just temporary? Something to help Mai with, and then he had to return to the realm of lingering spirits? Obviously he had been wrenched from the light – again – and obviously he was needed – again.

He wouldn't want to come back to his family and friends, only to find out he couldn't stay. That would destroy his parents, and... it would be infinitely worse on his brother. Until he found out whether this was a permanent thing, or if it was just something temporary, he wouldn't contact them.

The hard part was going to be convincing Mai, and possibly the other SPR members...

He sighed, rubbing his temple. _I can't focus on all that now. I'm walking in circles. I need someone with more knowledge than me, but first, I need to figure out what I'm doing about living arrangements, and I need to get in touch with Mai. She might have dreams that can help... or maybe our instincts combined could work together and figure out what's going on. Until then, I need to focus on getting something to eat, and resting. _

_I feel... tired._

* * *

"So, you're sure it was a psychic feeling?" Takigawa pushed. "Have you tried getting a better feel of it?"

Mai bit her lip, tugging on the end of her shirt. "...not yet. I was in the middle of class when it happened, Bou-san. But as soon as I get home, I promise I'll do those meditative exercises you taught me."

"Good. Do... you think it has anything to do with Madoka leaving?"

"No," she blurted, before she could really think about it. "Definitely not. I... do have a few feelings on that, but... they're not important."

"Mai," Bou-san sighed, "every psychic feeling you have is important. How are we going to know what your abilities are or if you know something important if you don't share?"

She huffed softly, but supposed he was right – he did know more about this stuff than she did. "...I don't think Naru is going to come back any time soon. If... at all."

"...and you're sure that's not just you worrying?" Bou-san interjected, obviously believing in Naru's word. And that was a good thing. She was glad that they still trusted him.

"I'm sure."

"...Well, let me know if you get anything more specific, okay?"

"Will do," she assured him. They said their goodbyes and hung up the phone. Mai sighed, tousling her hair. She knew that she was still a developing medium/psychic/thing, but at the very least they could put some more trust into her instincts, when she reported them.

Naru had. He'd risked the case because of her feeling. He'd never doubted in her dreams or psychic intuition – before and after he had gotten proof they existed.

The thought made her happy and sad at the same time. Happy, because he'd believed in her and trusted her, even when he had little reason to do so. Sad, because... well, she missed him. Going on cases just didn't feel the same with Madoka. She didn't get constant demands for tea or to go check the cameras. Ayako and Bou-san weren't snapped at when their arguments got out of hand...

Lin wasn't constantly sitting in front of the monitors, like a machine that never needed to be powered down. He'd always seemed to know exactly when he was needed, just by the sharp call of his name from his charge.

She missed the tell-tale gleam in his eyes that told her he was interested in a puzzle. She missed listening to him bark orders. Missed the triumphant smirk he wore when he solved the case. She even missed making tea twenty-four seven. She could even recall the exact way he liked it.

Mai sighed, softly, unlocking the door to her apartment. The walk home had gone smoothly, despite her being distracted by old thoughts. She wondered if cases would change, now that everyone knew he was Oliver Davis.

She doubted it. The Naru she had known had a specific way he liked things done, and she figured that was the way he had always been. Now, he may have to do cases a little differently since he was technically working for his parents in England, but if he did come back to Japan... He would run things almost exactly the way he had before. That Mai was sure of.

Mai dropped her bag by the couch, before flopping down on the couch. She closed her eyes, leaning back. What was going on? Her instincts couldn't make up their mind – one minute, Naru wasn't coming back. Then, it was going to be a very long time. Then, he might come back soon.

Not to mention, the important event that occurred earlier...

She groaned, before taking a deep breath. What she needed to do was calm down and focus. She closed her eyes and cleared her mind, just like Bou-san had taught her. She slowly reached through her consciousness, searching for her instincts. It was not the practiced motions of a professional, but Mai did not have the clunky motions of a novice. She was somewhere between the two. Unsure and rocky, but fluid and precise at the same time.

Eventually, she found them. First, she concentrated on the _feeling _she had earlier. There was a flash of... of someone. She grit her mental teeth and looked deeper... It was... Naru? No. Not Naru. He had a different... feeling about him. Which meant...

She snapped out of her meditation abruptly. _Gene?! _She sucked in a sharp breath of shock. There was no way...

But she had been absolutely certain. She could feel the slight tugging. She knew, if she was to follow it, that it would lead her to Gene. However, she had the feeling that he would come to her...

She didn't know when or where he would show up, but it would be best if she waited. That much she was certain of.

.

She calmed herself, clearing her mind once more. She was a bit less unsteady as she located her instincts again, this time focusing on Naru. A road appeared before her mind, with three different directions. The meaning was clear – something would happen, and whatever did, would affect the outcome. Mai might be a little ditzy at times, might not understand or pay attention to what's going on around her, but she wasn't an idiot and – most of the time – she understood what her own mind was trying to tell her.

That was something the people around her seemed to have a hard time grasping. She loved her SPR family – she really, really did – but like any family, there were things that got on her nerves. And doubting in her capability to handle/understand/explain her instincts or visions was something she was easily irritated by.

She rubbed her cheek. She knew that they were just worried. She knew that she did have the tendency to hide her visions – usually on accident or until she understood better – but still.

If Naru – who was constantly berating her for being an idiot, and was one of the top parapsychologists in the world – trusted in her ability to interpret her instincts (even if he did rebuke her for not saying anything at times) then they should too.

Not that she would voice these things. She was grateful for their concern, but sometimes... sometimes you just needed a good old rant. And ranting inside her head was the best she had, at the moment. Her friends at school didn't understand her job. Yasuhara did. He was close to her – they had gotten pretty close since he started working there – and he wasn't one who was berating her about her powers... but considering the exams he had coming up, she wouldn't feel right burdening him with her problems.

Mai sighed. It was best to look on the positive – didn't she say that often enough at work? She stood, deciding she could use something to eat after that meditative session. Then, she'd call Bou-san, tell him about the feelings and work on homework.

Then, she would need to get some rest. She had a feeling the next day would be _very _eventful, and she could use all the rest she could get...

* * *

**Tauria: **Mm... I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter. Nor am I sure about what all I'm doing yet... ^^; But, I did have fun writing it. And, it's only a day after the first update, which is unusual for me (read; don't get used to it lol)

Anyway, if it goes the way I'm expecting it to, the next chapter (or the one after it) should have Gene and Mai meeting ^^

Also - I feel like this chapter kind of drags in places. Is that true? Or am I imagining it?

Hope you enjoyed~ Please leave a review! (Or a favorite)


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